Having earned one of the state's 22 automatic Class 6A playoff berths, Southridge coach Doug Dean can only guess at the Skyhawks' likely first-round opponent.

The picture will clear up Friday night when the 20 teams that failed to earn automatic playoff berths during the regular season get a final chance to qualify in one of 10 play-in games -- the winners filling the final spots in the 32-team bracket.

Friday's play-in match-ups mirror the OSAA's final power rankings, in that the highest ranked non-qualifier (Beaverton) is playing host to the lowest ranked team (South Eugene), the next highest ranked non-qualifier (Roseburg) is hosting the next lowest ranked team (North Salem), and so on.

Next week's opening-round playoff games also will be based on the rankings, with No. 1 Jesuit playing at home against the lowest ranked team to survive Friday's play-in games.

Assuming the higher ranked teams win all 10 play-in games, Southridge would draw West Linn in the first round, but that match-up is tentative, at best. Throw an upset or two into the equation, and the Skyhawks, ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 4 in the power rankings, could easily end up facing Forest Grove, Lakeridge or McNary.

"We're going to go scout the McKay-West Linn game," said Dean, anticipating a potential Skyhawks-Lions match-up. "It's better than sitting around and doing nothing on a Friday night. We're all used to going and doing something anyhow."

Are any of the Southridge coaches going to either the Centennial-Forest Grove game or the Lincoln-Lakeridge game?

"Good question," Dean said. "I really haven't made that call yet, but it's a possibility. I know, for sure, we're going to go to West Linn. The other games are like, 'Well, do we just roll the dice and not worry about them?' I don't know what the right answer is."